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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Tuesday Poem and the Big Poetry Giveaway

For the last couple of years, Kelli Agodon has celebrated National Poetry Month (yes, the United States gets a whole month, compared to New Zealand's National Poetry Day) by organising the Big Poetry Giveaway. This year it is being hosted on Susan Rich's blog, The Alchemist's Kitchen.

I decided to join in the fun, so leave a comment here with your contact details (e-mail address), if you would like to go in the draw. Edit: Some commenters seem to have forgotten the e-mail address, I will contact you if I can, either by e-mail or by leaving a comment on your blog, but if your only contact is Facebook or Google groups, I have no way of getting in touch with you as I am not on either.
I have two books to give away - posted free to anywhere in the world. Winners will be drawn in the week of May 1st.
1) Flap: The Chookbook 2 by myself and three friends
2) The Nature of Things: Poems from the New Zealand Landscape, a gorgeous anthology which has poems from a range of New Zealand poets along with beautiful landscape photographs from Craig Potton.

And here is one of my poems from Flap:

Gridlines

The city is a spreadsheet
laid on the plains block upon block.
There are some in their airless offices
who affect nothing.
Don't count on it.

In the hidden mathematics of the city
there are unexpected connections.
You might add a small number
at a crucial junction
and buses run late all over town.
Hum a tune and you might see
a single bird fly over,
or dancing break out in the streets.

And watch that girl with the blue hair,
when she enters the equation,
how it changes everything.

copyright Catherine Fitchett

For more Tuesday Poems visit the main hub site.

20 comments:

leonie wise said...

I love the idea of equating a city with a spreadsheet. And especialy enjoyed the lines ...

"You might add a small number
at a crucial junction
and buses run late all over town."

Living in London, and taking the bus/tube to work I can totally relate!

Genius.

Unknown said...

love the poetry giveaway and especially like that you've included a sample of your work in the posting! count me in.

Deborah K. Hammond said...

Still smiling over the girl with the blue hair...terrific closing lines! Please count me in!

Michelle Elvy said...

I really like the idea of the 'mathematics of a city' -- wonderful. And great last stanza, too. Here's to National Poetry Month!

Anonymous said...

Woo! Nice to meet you. Please add me in the drawing!

-Allyson
whipplea [at] gmail [dot] com

Unknown said...

I love this giveaway idea! Thanks.
evfhanna at gmail dot com

.. said...

Please count me in!

Robyn Hannah-Andy said...

Please add me into the draw. I run a writers group at a public library and would love to share my win with them.

Susan Rich said...

Thanks for playing! I'm happy to jump in!

Deb said...

Count me in please, glad to see another Antipodean blog (I'm in Australia).
Cheers,
Deb
debwain(at)gmail.com
www.debwain.com

Anonymous said...

Count me in!

~Allyson
whipplea [at] gmail [dot] com

Diane said...

Oh those girls with blue hair! Love it! Throw my name into the pot, please! -- Diane Kendig

dianekendig@yahoo.com

Rena Rossner said...

Excited to participate!

renarossner (at) gmail (dot) com

Anonymous said...

Oh wow - love this poem - all the mathematical references - so cool!

Thrilled to participate.

Thanks,
Ivy
ivy973 (at) yahoo.com

Andrew said...

Thanks for doing this!

- Andrew
eldritch00 at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

I have not had the chance to read any contemporary poetry. I don't know who or where to begin. Entering this contest seemed like a good way to start. Thank you very much for participating in this give away.

KnowledgeKnut
Knowledgeknut@gmail.com

Ron Lewis said...

Catherine: Please sign me up for your book giveaway! If I happen to be lucky enough to be an honored winner this year, I will write a review and promote your chapbook through the Vermont Poetry Newsletter (& Poetry Event Calendar), which now receives over 1M hits/year. I'll be crossing my fingers and hope to soon find your book, or The Nature of Things, in my personal poetry library! Thank you for participating in the 2013 Book Giveaway! Ron Lewis, VPN Editor (vtpoet@gmail.com)

Poet-Nerd said...

Please count me in! Thanks!Nandini

Joseph Harker said...

A last minute throw of the name in the hat...!

J. Harker
linksfreude ( ) gmail ( ) com

katrina said...

I'd love to play! Thanks!! katrina